In wireless communication technology such as portable equipment, of which portable telephones are representative, data-communication rates are continually increasing. As the used frequencies increase from several hundred MHz to GHz (e.g., in overseas roaming services, etc.), multiple frequencies are switched among and used in a single unit of equipment.
Conventionally, a device having a coil (inductor) used in high-frequency circuits of such equipment comprises a substrate, such as a silicon substrate, a conductive loop, and two conductive supports (see FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, below). Another conventional device comprises a substrate, such as a silicon substrate, a conductive spiral, two conductive supports, and two conductive hinged plates (see FIG. 5 of Patent Document 1, below). The conductive loop and the conductive spiral each comprise a coil (inductor).
In the device disclosed in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, one end of the conductive loop is mechanically connected to the substrate by one of the conductive supports, the other end of the conductive loop is mechanically connected to the substrate by the other conductive support. Thus, the conductive loop is supported so as to float relative to the substrate by means of the two conductive supports. Mechanical connections to the conductive loop are made by mechanically connecting the ends of the conductive loop to respective ends of the two conductive supports.
In the device disclosed in FIG. 5 of Patent Document 1, one of the conductive hinged plates that has been hinge-coupled to the substrate and one end of the conductive spiral are mechanically connected by one of the conductive supports. The other conductive hinged plate that has been hinge-coupled to the substrate and the other end of the conductive spiral are mechanically connected by the other conductive support. Thus, the conductive spiral is supported so as to float relative to the substrate by means of the two conductive supports and the two conductive hinged plates. Mechanical connections to the conductive spiral are made by both ends of the conductive spiral being respectively mechanically connected to the ends of the two conductive supports.
In such conventional devices, floating the coil (conductive loop or conductive spiral) relative to the substrate reduces parasitic capacitance between the coil and the substrate, even in cases in which the substrate is conductive, such as a silicon substrate.
In Patent Document 2, below, various structures are disclosed that support a mirror board, comprising a thin film, in a non-parallel fashion, such as vertically, with respect to a substrate.
Patent Document 1: Japan Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-150251.
Patent Document 2: International Publication No. 03/060592 pamphlet.